Ashura – A Poem

As the nights of Dhil-Hijjah are quickly running towards the ends…
The hearth is filled with sorrow by the fast approach of the Month of Muharram…
We leave the Month in which the Sacrifice was postponed..
and enter the Month in which the Sacrifice was completed..

O Ibrahim, O Friend of Allah!
Your Ismail was one and your eyes were blindfolded..
But see Husayn sacrificing one Ismail after another…

We leave the Month of Ibrahim and Ismail
and enter the Month of Husayn and Ali Akbar,

O Hajra, O trusted lady-Servant of Allah!
Your efforts between the two mountain tops resulted in ZamZam…
But see Abbas sacrificing his arms to fetch some water..

We leave the Month of Hajra and Ismail,
and enter the Month of Sakinah and Asghar,

O House of Allah, O Place of Blessings!
On the order of Allah, we flock towards your vicinity..
But see how the lovers of Husayn run to his shrine..

We leave the Month of Visiting the House
and enter the Month of Mourning the Household,

O Day of Eid, On which Ismail was saved!
Remembering Ismail we will sacrifice many goats..
But for Husayn we offer our tears and sacrifice our lives…

We leave the Month of Rejoicing and Merrymaking,
and enter the Month of Sorrows and Tribulations,

O Days of Victory of Truth and O Places of Proclamation!
See how Truth is proclaimed in Karbala,
how Victory is gained on Ashura!

We leave the Month of Ghadeer and Mubahilah,
and enter the Month of Karbala and Ashura

We leave the Month in which the Sacrifice was postponed..
and enter the Month in which the Sacrifice was completed.